With two major religious holidays on the same weekend, many students went home to celebrate with their family, while others stayed in town and celebrated in their own way with friends.

Jennifer Tortorice, a freshman elementary education major, said she stayed on campus for the holiday because it would have been too long of a drive to her home in Downers Grove.

Tortorice said she spent the weekend hanging out with friends and celebrated Easter by eating at Los Portillos.

Jorjoh Joof, senior family and consumer sciences major, said she did not go home because she does not celebrate Easter, instead she celebrates the Muslim holidays.

“I don’t really celebrate Easter, so I just went to Champaign,” Joof said.

Joof said the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign’s African Student Association put on a fashion show and had a reggae-themed party.

Ashlee Snodgrass, freshman family and consumer sciences major, and her twin sister Brittnee, a freshman business management major, said they both went home to Bloomington to celebrate the Easter holidays with their family.

Ashlee said they spent time with their friends and got together with their family.

Jenna Wells, a sophomore history and psychology double major, said she stayed in Charleston because she will be returning home next weekend.

Wells said during the break, she had fun with friends and went to Ike’s during the weekend.

Ali Barlas, a freshman family and consumer sciences major, said her break was amazing and she got to spend it with 19 of her family members.

“I was so happy to see my family,” Barlas said. “We just did cheesy stuff we don’t normally do.”

International student Christian Kolb, a freshman marketing major, said he used Skype to talk to his parents in Germany.

Stefan Gorol, a freshman physics major and international student, also said he stayed on campus and hung out with friends during the weekend.

Amy Brashear, a senior elementary education major, said she went home to Centralia for the break to be with her family for Easter.

“Holidays, especially Easter, are really important in my family,” Brashear said. “It is important to spend time with your family and celebrate together.”

Brashear said she was excited to go home because she missed her family.

Brashear also said she spent Easter with her family by going to church and going to her grandmother’s house. She spent the rest of the weekend hanging out at home, Brashear said.

Tyler Pearce, a freshman kinesiology and sports studies major, he also felt it is important to spend time with family during the holidays.

Pearce said he only lives a half an hour away, so he went home Sunday morning to attend church and eat with his family and then came back to school the same day.

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or kjrichter@eiu.edu.